


His Final Secret

by Interstella



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: End Game Spoilers, Episode Prompto Spoilers, Game Continuation, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-12
Updated: 2019-11-12
Packaged: 2021-01-29 02:36:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,889
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21402781
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Interstella/pseuds/Interstella
Summary: His new secret - his last secret - that one was harder to tell. The barcode would affect only how others see him, but this one? This one would break them.Sometimes, he wished that he didn’t have any friends. That his life was lonely and empty, and that nobody would care about this secret. That nobody would be hurt from it.
Comments: 16
Kudos: 74





	His Final Secret

**Author's Note:**

> Uh. Not a happy fic. Kinda sweet ending though....

Prompto had a secret. One that nobody knew. It was his last secret, the final one that nobody would  _ ever _ find out. Not until it was too late.    
  
He was good at keeping secrets. The barcode maring his wrist had been one that he’d managed to keep for twenty years, before telling  _ anyone _ . That hadn’t been an easy secret to keep at times. One slip of his ever present wrist band would have given him away. It was easy to see that secret, there was physical evidence of it. Something unique to him, something that would give people questions that he had no other answers for.    
  
But this secret? This one was easier to keep. Not only because there was no physical marks on his body, no ink to give him away, but also because he knew the effects it would have on others.    
  
The barcode was something that affected him and him only. Once he’d understood that his friends honestly didn’t care what it meant, it had been easy to tell them. To explain to them who he was, where he was from, and what he was supposed to have been. He knew that the fears he’d harboured for most of his life were unfounded - that his friends would accept him no matter what.    
  
His new secret - his  _ last _ secret - that one was harder to tell. The barcode would affect only how others see him, but this one? This one would  _ break _ them.    
  
Sometimes, he wished that he didn’t have any friends. That his life was lonely and empty, and that nobody would care about this secret. That nobody would be hurt from it.    
  
He was going to tell them. Really, he was. As they gathered around the campfire, ready to storm the city they once called home, ready for a battle they all knew they might not come back from. He was going to tell them then, because after that it wouldn’t matter any more.    
  
But when Noct told them  _ his _ story, he couldn’t bring himself to say anything. Couldn’t add to the misery that was already prevailing through the end of the endless night. He couldn’t tell them his secret, because they were already so close to breaking. Everyone was struggling to keep going, to keep walking tall and march forth to the death of their friend.    
  
When the sun rose, he felt numb. The pain and despair he was expecting to feel, knowing that Noct was gone, didn’t come. He simply stood there, face raised to the sky as the first rays of warmth painted over his skin, bathing him in a light that he had so sorely missed.    
  
They stood there for a moment. The retainers of an extinct royal line. Standing together, basking in the moment and paying little attention to the cost. Then, as one, the three took deep breaths and turned to the imposing stairs of the capitol building. Wordlessly, they stepped forward, walking tall together to greet their king one last time.    
  
He was there, in the throne room. He was pinned to the throne with his own father’s sword. A sword that was slowly disappearing into Crystal dust at the same rate as the crystal behind the throne and the body of their fallen king. Noct’s body was slowly disintegrating, following the magic of his ancestors into the after.    
  
Three bodies stepped up to him, and as one, the three knelt. Bowing their heads and clasping their hands over their hearts as they stood silent witness to their king’s departure.    
  
“I’ll see you soon, buddy.”    
  
He hadn’t meant to say it out loud. And he most certainly hadn’t intended on the others hearing him. He knew they did. The way they suddenly went completely still before turning to him. Both facing him silently regarding him and waiting for his explanation.    
  
And explanation that he had never intended to give to them. Not now.   
  
He knew what they were probably thinking. They knew about his self esteem. About his anxiety. About the many times during the long night where he hadn’t been able to cope, had been so close to throwing himself into a daemon blade. He knew what they were thinking. He knew what they were worrying about.    
  
If he had been like that when he had had absolute faith that Noct was going to return, what would he be like now?   
  
But he didn’t need to go that far. He knew it. He had no need to take his own life. It would be ending by itself soon enough.   
  
Wordlessly, he rose. He took a step towards the still dissipating Noct and reached out. His hand brushed through the king, touching the throne instead. Tears fell unbidden from his eyes, but he didn’t even notice. He didn’t even feel it.    
  
Behind him, he could hear his friends shuffling, standing. Still regarding him with concern. He could feel them move towards him and hesitate. He was hurting them. Even without telling them his secret. Even without them knowing. He was hurting them.    
  
Would it hurt more for them not to know? For them to not understand what he’d found out the why, only to watch him crumple and fade?   
  
It was close. He could feel it. The light had pressed itself inside him. Was working it’s magic. Doing its job. Doing Noct’s job.    
  
“So…” He spoke quietly, almost a whisper, but the people behind him, his  _ friends _ could hear him. They could hear how his breathing faltered, how he took a steadying breath and held it before continuing. “I was made to be an MT.” This wasn’t new information for them. Not in the least. But it wasn’t all. “And MT’s are powered by the Scourge.” Again, no new information. Until- “Turns out, I am too.”   
  
He reached forward, his fingers reaching for Noct, stopping just an inch from his translucent form as if gently stroking his cheek. He heard Ignis draw in a sharp breath as realization hit him. He could  _ feel _ the confusion coming from Gladio.   
  
“Prompto…”    
  
He shook his head, cutting Ignis off silently. He wasn’t quite finished. “I knew this would happen.” He continued, his body beginning to ache, his lungs burning and head spinning. “When Noct banished the darkness for good. I knew -” His legs buckled and he let himself fall, knowing what was happening and simply letting it. “I knew I wouldn’t have much time after.”    
  
There was a warmth on his shoulder. Ignis’ hand. He didn’t turn, didn’t face them. Couldn’t. Instead, he closed his eyes and concentrated on breathing. He knew it was for nothing, that he had minutes left at best. “I… I accepted it. You know? It’s just a part of life.” He raised his head up, faced the Crystal, his eyes remaining closed. “I’m just glad… I got to see the sun again.”    
  
“Why didn’t you tell us?” Ignis asked, voice quiet and strained. Prompto couldn’t blame him - he’d just lost his oldest friend, and was now losing another. Barely ten minutes later.    
  
“What would’ve been the point?” He questioned, words becoming hard for him. He felt himself slump, held up only by Ignis’ hand, and now Gladio’s that joined it on the other side. “Not like we would’ve stopped. Not like I’m more important than the whole world. Right?”   
  
“You should’ve told us.” Gladio was kneeling now, next to him. Holding him up. When Prompto’s strength began to wane more, he was pulled against Gladio’s chest. Prompto didn’t resist, simply allowed himself to take the comfort he could.    
  
“Nothing you can… do about it.” His breathing was shallow now, and everything was an effort. Everything was hard. It hurt. It hurt all over. His body was on fire, his lungs screaming at him, his head spinning. He forced himself to lift his head, to gaze at the almost gone body of his best friend. One last time. “But at least…. At least I get to be with him.” Holding his head up now was the hardest thing he had ever had to do, but he did it. He would do it. He would follow Noct, would watch him disappear as his own body gave up on him.    
  
The darkness that had been boosting his blood flow, that had been running his immune system, that had been pushed into every crevice of his being, was gone. His body didn’t know how to handle being without it.    
  
He was so tired.    
  
“Stay with me?” He asked, voice nothing more than a breath. A plea he knew he didn’t even have to say, but felt the need anyway. He didn’t want to be alone. He wanted to be with them, until the end.    
  
His body was shaking now, trying to keep what heat it could. But there was nothing to carry the heat. Nothing to keep him moving. Nothing to keep him alive. He knew the shivering would stop soon. He knew  _ everything _ would stop soon. Soon, he could sleep.    
  
Despite his best efforts, his eyes shut and his head hung down. He could feel Ignis move, join him on the floor. Could feel his arms wrapping around him, joining he and Gladio in a final group hug. It felt only fitting for him to reach out, to lift his leaden arm and place it on the throne where his best friend’s body had once sat. It felt only right that some part of Noct be included in this final goodbye.    
  
It wasn’t that bad. Sure, he was going to die,  _ was _ dying. But at least the world had a chance now. He was right, when he’d told them that there was nothing they could do. He hadn’t told them in fear that they would try to stop Noct from bringing the dawn. He refused to let them feel that burden, of having to choose between him and the rest of the world.    
  
The darkness was becoming absolute now. The warmth of his friends fading and the ache finally retreating.    
  
“I… love you.” Prompto whispered, “All.” He struggled for a moment, his lungs refusing to work as his breath was stolen from him by the one thing that could save the world.    
  
\-- -- -- -- --    
  
He wasn’t expecting it to look the same as where he had come from. Sure, there were a few differences. For one, there was no rubble, and the sun was high in the sky. The throne room was pristine and there were blue petals scattered throughout and crystal shards floating on a non-existent breeze. The air was crisp and clean in a way he hadn’t experienced in over ten years. He took a deep breath, happy that his lungs were no longer burning and his body was working as it should.    
  
He stepped forth into the room, eyes falling on the throne. Noct was sitting there, eyes closed as he leaned towards the woman that was supposed to have been his bride. They looked like they were sleeping, slumbering peacefully in their death. It looked right.    
  
For the first time, Prompto didn’t feel like he was intruding as he walked closer. He climbed the steps, feeling nothing but a soft calm when he knelt on the other side of the throne. He leaned over the armrest, closing his eyes as he took his rightful place beside his king. 

**Author's Note:**

> Needed to stretch my angst muscles a little :)


End file.
